A vibrant new mural now welcomes visitors to downtown Silverthorne, transforming the Town's new parking garage into a colorful celebration of community, creativity, and connection.

Created by internationally recognized muralist Thomas Evans, known professionally as Detour, the mural titled A Little Bit of Silverthorne features local musicians Arnie J. Green and Leon Littlebird alongside imagery inspired by Summit County's natural beauty. Located on the Fourth North parking garage across from Angry James Brewery, the mural serves as both a landmark and a reflection of Silverthorne's growing Creative District.

While the finished mural took just over a week to paint, the story behind it began months earlier.

Finding Inspiration in Community

During his first visit to Silverthorne, Detour was struck by something unexpected.

"The first thing that stood out was the young, vibrant energy of the community," he said. "When you think of a mountain town, you think of words like old and grizzled, but Silverthorne felt young and vibrant. The new development gave me a sense that the area is growing with a lot of creative energy."

As Town staff shared ideas for the project, one theme quickly emerged: celebrating the people who have shaped Silverthorne's creative identity. Rather than creating a generic mural, Detour was inspired by the opportunity to feature local musicians who are deeply connected to the community.

"I like making sure that my work connects with the community," he said. "I was happy when they sent over the images of Arnie and Leon that I could use as references."

For Detour, the most memorable part of the project wasn't simply painting the portraits. It was watching community members recognize them.

"The biggest part about their story was that everyone had a connection with them," he said. "Even when I had only half the sketch on the wall, everyone knew exactly who they were and had a story about them."

That experience reinforced the importance of public art that reflects local culture and history.

"Usually, you don't get that when painting murals," he said. "But this one was great because everyone was championing the creation of the piece because of that connection."

The mural celebrates two musicians whose contributions helped shape Silverthorne's arts and music scene while highlighting the strong relationships that define the community itself.

Creating a mural on a structure as large as the parking garage required careful planning.

"The biggest process is figuring out how to create a piece that resonates while also working with the surface," Detour explained. "Because it's such a wide canvas, everything has to be easily digested visually."

After experimenting with different concepts and layouts, he developed a design that balances portraiture with imagery inspired by Silverthorne's mountain setting. On another side of the garage, visitors will find a bear, trees, and a sunrise overlooking the landscape.

"I think once I finished the bear and the corner sun, I could really see the piece come to life," he said. "Having people see the trees and sunrise and bear and then round the corner to see that it extends farther was when I got excited about people's reaction."

Of course, painting outdoors in Summit County came with its own challenges.

"The most challenging part was the wind," he said with a laugh. "Sometimes it can be like painting in an earthquake during peak hours of the day."

The mural arrives at an exciting time for Silverthorne, which recently earned designation as a Colorado Creative District after years of investment in arts and culture.

Detour sees public art as an important tool for helping communities tell their story.

"Public art helps communicate to residents and visitors how the community looks, feels, and more," he said. "Public art showcases a community's past, present, and future, as well as its wants, needs, and desires."

During his visit, Detour also toured Art Spot Silverthorne Makerspace and was impressed by the Town's commitment to supporting artists beyond public art installations.

"Art Spot Silverthorne Makerspace is like the town investing in a gym, but a gym for the creative community," he said. "This helps grow homegrown talent that doesn't need to feel like it has to move away from Silverthorne to reach its full potential and explore the arts."

As a professional artist, Detour believes access to creative space and equipment can make a significant difference. "Many artists are relegated to a basement, a kitchen table, or sometimes no creative space at all," he said. "When communities provide access to spaces like Art Spot Silverthorne Makerspace, the sky is the limit."

When asked what he hopes people will say about A Little Bit of Silverthorne years from now, Detour's answer was simple.

"I want people to really enjoy the mural and feel that it represents them and their community."

As Silverthorne's Creative District continues to grow, the mural stands as a colorful reminder that the community's identity is shaped not only by its mountains and landscapes, but by the artists, musicians, and residents who call it home.